The Devil's Rose
by Lady Quinn
Summary: What happens when Naraku hires an assasin to kill Inuyasha? Who is this assasin, and why would she help Naraku? Please R&R!
1. Hired

Hi there! Well, I kind of have a writers block for The Yakushi Sorceress, so I came up with this story.  
Here's the first chapter. I hope you like it! And sorry if it's short. It was 2 1/2 pages in my notebook. 

Chapter 1: Hired

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A seventeen year old stood outside a closed room, awaiting her instructions. Her bat-like wings fidgeted, wanting to be spread, but she remained where she was. Sahara was no ordinary girl, as you can tell, as she had giant black wings, and a black devil tail to match. Sahara also had black hair, and wore all black, making her already white skin seem even more pale. She wore her hair to her lower back, and wore it in a pony tail that was near the end of her hair. After much waiting, Sahara's eyes depicted a form coming towards the door. Thanks to the slitted walls, she saw the strange outline on the other side open the door. Sahara's elf shaped ears throbbed as the door squealed open.  
"He will see you now." Kagura explained, as her quick eyes scanned Sahara down, and gave extra care to the fact that she had a sword with her.  
Sahara entered the creepy room, it's walls bathed in darkness, even though outside the district it was sunny and clear. A figure emerged from the shadows, only to have a thin layer of haze shroud him still.  
"Ahh. Sahara. I'm glad you decided to take up my offer." The voice chilled Sahara to the bone,"Well, the Devils Rose is quite a thing to behold, espicially for the... right... reasons..." Narakus evil words made Sahara shudder. 'No matter what that man would ever say, it will always be a scary sound.' She thought.  
"What must I do to get it from you?" Sahara asked.  
"You are an excellent bowsman." Sahara nodded,"I want you to assasinate Inuyasha. Then, and only when you bring me his head, shall I give the Rose to you." Naraku grinned from ear to ear, and Sahara knew why. She has never missed a target.  
Meanwhile, outside the tainted room, Kagura listened to the conversation. 'Why would Master Naraku hire a demon, let alone a half demon? Whey, she is not even one of his creations, and why not have me, Kanna, or Kohaku look after Inuyasha? I don't like how this Sahara is taking my job.' She thought spitefully. Sahara flew over the heads of the trees, far from anything imaginary and ordinary. Soon, she came to a forest edge, where she landed. As she stood on a strong, broad branch, Sahara put her two arms together in front, and opened them verticly. Black electricity appeared, and formed into the shape of a bow, and a single arrow; the bow in her hands, and the arrow at her feet. Slowly, she picked up her arrow and fitted it to the matching bow, and watched as Inuyasha was chasing Shippo through a meadow of flowers in front of the cowering forest growth, while Sango, Miroku, and Kagome searched for herbs. Sahara's normally waving tail was curled just below her wings, which were held completely parrallel to her back. A slight breeze sifted through, waving her raven locks around and bustling her sword, as Sahara pulled the bowstring taut, and prepared to let fly.

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Well, what do you think? Don't tell me! Write it in a review, silly! Lady Quinn 


	2. Things Aren't Always What They Seem

Here's the chapter!

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Chapter 2: Things Aren't Always What They Seem 

Sahara held the bow and arrow with perfect poise. Though, she had had a lot of practice. Shaking her head to rid herself of the hairs tickling her nose, took a last look at her target, and let the arrow go.

She saw with grim satisfaction the look on Inuyasha's face, a mixture of confusion, pain, and anger, as the arrow slamed into his chest. The next thing she heard were the cries of his friends, and she felt the stares towards the tree she stood apon. Sahara blinked, and the images, sounds, and feelings melted away, showing that she had indeed shot the arrow, but a sudden gust of wind had blown it off course and it hit a tree on the other side of the meadow. She also saw that Inuyasha was rapidly growing closer to her.

Fleeing her shelter, she took off, flying between the tree trunks and gradually gaining altitude. Sahara chanced a look back, and saw Inuyasha closing in on her. Since her head was turned the other way around, Sahara didn't see the tree until it was too late. She did, however, fly to the right of it missing the trunk, but hitting the end of the branch. 'Enough of this!' Sahara thought, as she crashed out of the canopy of the trees, and flew off towards the nearby mountains.

* * *

"What happened, Inuyasha?" Sango yelled, as she, and Miroku and Kagome started running towards him.

"Someone tried to shoot me with an arrow, but missed. I was chasing It."

"Why do you say 'It'? It could have been Kikyo." Miroku said.

"I say 'It', pervert, because I found this on a branch 'It' crashed into." Inuyasha held up a piece of leathery skin. Shippo, who was on Kagome's shoulder, quickly grabbed it out of Inuyasha's grasp.

"It looks like a piece of bat wing..." Shippo explained as he examined it.

"We should leave here... I think Kaede has enough herbs." Kagome stated.

* * *

Thunder rolled overhead, as Sahara landed on a cliff. She knelt at the edge of the mountain face, examining her wing. "Stupid branch..." She muttered. 'No... Stupid me, for daydreaming that I had hit the target.' Sahara thought angrily as she looked out over the forest slowly climbing up the mountain.

"I take it that you failed me." Sahara slowly turned around, and saw with visible disgust the face of Naraku's babboon suit. "You don't look that happy to see me... Why is that, Sahara?" She just turned her back to him, looking back over the woodland. "I thought you might, as I have what you want." Sahara whipped around, in time to see Naraku pull out an intricate rose from beneath his cloak. But the strangest thing about it, was that the stem was made of some unidentifiable, blacker than night, gems molded together, with black leaves along with it. The bud of the rose, was just blooming. It was made out of what seemed to be silver, and had pieces of quartz spotted all over the blossom. But what amazed Sahara, was that the last time she had seen this gem-rose was about a month ago, when it was just a growing seed.

"Please, let me have it... PLEASE!" Sahara begged desperately, now layin on the ground at Naraku's feet. Thunder sounded again, and rain started to fall.

"You failed me, Sahara. However, I shall give you another chance. But fail me again, and you will never get the Devils Rose." And with that, Naraku vanished into thin air. Sahara slowly got up from the ground, and walked back to the brink of the cliff. She stared out over the forest, her hair and clothes now matted against her body. Sahara continued looking out over the ledge. Looking, but not seeing, as her tears mixed with the rain.

* * *

And thats all folks!

Oh, and so the story isn't confusing, the legend of the Devils Rose is below...

The legend, goes something like this. There is one being in the world, that is tied to the Devils Rose. The Devils Rose starts out as a seed. If that one being suffers a great loss in his or her life, the Devils Rose starts to grow. If the being finds the Devils Rose before it grows, wilts, and dies, they are given the chance to get back what they have lossed. The total time for the Rose to die, is about two months.

As you may have guessed, Sahara is the one being tied to the Devils Rose.

Lady Quinn


	3. In The Hands Of The Enemy

Here is the third installment of... The Devil's Rose!

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Whistling over the trees, Sahara flew with the wind. Her hair flowing behind her, now dry from the setting suns glow, she gently landed on a small hill. The rain had been fierce, mixing with thunder and lightning, though it had left as fast as it had come. Sahara examined the hole in her wing which had already begun to heal, but then, she heard a faint laugh within the nearby forest. Quickly, she flew off to investigate.

* * *

Sahara perched on a tree near a village, and saw what had made the laughter. Shippo bounded around Kaede's hut, with Kilala was chasing him. The "Cat and Mouse" game was quite fun to watch, so Sahara kneeled down on the branch, and watched. Her sword poked her in the side, so she re-positioned herself to sitting with her back against the tree trunk. Getting a bit bored of watching Shippo jump from the ground, to the roof, and back again, she stared off into thought.

'Thats the little kitsune who was with Inuyasha! I have another chance!' Sahara jumped up happily, and saw Inuyasha step out of the little hut.

"What the hell are you doing out here? Kaede is hysterical because she thinks a demon is coming to attack the village! And all because you keep jumping on the roof!" Inuyasha yelled at Shippo.

'What a bully.' Sahara thought.

"Inuyasha! You're such a bully!" Kagome said as she stepped out of the hut. Sahara sighed. She had grown tired of spying. Silently, she got her bow and an arrow, and aimed.

"Am not! Besides, the runt here needs to learn manners!"

"I need to learn manners? Puh-lease!" Inuyasha suddenly grabbed Shippo, and was giving him a noogie. "Oww! Kagome! Help!" Sahara released the arrow.

"SIT!" Kagome yelled. As Inuyasha crashed to the ground, Sahara's arrow whizzed right where he had been standing.

"What was that? Kagome! Get down!" Inuyasha leapt up from the little pothole now in front of Kaede's hut, and hurtled himself towards Sahara's tree. Miroku, Sango, and Kaede all came out of the hut, alarmed by the arrow which had dug itself into the side of the building.

Just as Sahara was leaping from the tree into air and flying upwards, she felt a jolt of pain go up her spine. Looking down, she saw that Inuyasha had grabbed onto her tail, and was flying up with her.

"LET GO!" She yelled, as she flew up backwards and flailing her tail around in an attempt to get rid of her burden.

"Iron Reaver Souls Stealer!" Inuyasha yelled as he slashed at Sahara. He hit her wing, and the two, now well above the trees, crashed to the ground. Inuyasha let go, and landed firmly on the field, and watched with amazement as the bat-like creature fell.

"Ahh!" Sahara screamed as she realized she was falling. She flapped her wings with no prevail. One wing had 4 strips whipping around in the wind. Sahara gaped at her wing, as she hit the ground with a dull thud.

* * *

All was blackness where ever Sahara looked. The only spot that wasn't part of the darkness was the spotlight she was in. Relentlessly, she continued to look about, determined to find light somewhere. Suddenly, another spotlight came on, and a figure emerged from the shadows. The figure was a bit taller than Sahara, and was wearing clothes that were white. The figure had short brown hair, and black eyes that seemed as dark as the abyss.

"Mieko!" Sahara exclaimed, recognizing the figure. She tried to run towards him, but found that she was trapped inside the spotlight.

"Sahara... Why are you here?"

"What is 'here'?" Sahara had her hands against the glass dome of light.

" 'Here', is the place of the dead." Mieko snapped his fingers, and the lights went on. Sahara cried out, and leapt from the edge of the spotlight, as dead bodies were pressed up against the sides. All around her, were moaning sounds and unblinking dead eyes that seemed to stare into the depths of her soul.

"Mieko! Please, help me!" Sahara screamed, as the bodies slowly piled up, and blocked him from view. They were now starting to come closer to the center of ther spotlight, where Sahara was. She couldn't fly up, as her wing was still not healed. Her scream sounded again, only more shrill. "Please Mieko! Please help me!"

Suddenly, as quickly as an eye blink, the bodies were gone, and she was in a spotlight staring into darkness again. Only this time it was the darkness of Mieko's eyes that she saw. Sahara stepped back, and saw the same Mieko she had known when he was alive.

"Sahara, again I ask you. Why are you here?" Mieko asked sullenly.

"I guess... I'm dead." Sahara found this surprisingly calming. No more assasinating attempts on Inuyasha, no more loneliness... And no more Naraku! Sahara sighed at the thought. She looked out into the darkness.

"You are not dead." These words startled Sahara. She looked up into Mieko's face.

"I'm not? How do you tell?"

"Your eyes. When your dead, you can see into the depths of their loneliness, and the last moments of their life. Your eyes still hold the liveliness as I remember it. Though a part of them has died..."

"They died when you did." Tears streamed down Sahara's face, as she hugged Mieko. "I missed you so much, Mieko!"

Mieko embraced her. As he did, memories came running back to Sahara.

* * *

Sahara, her wing healed, woke up from hazy unconsciousness. She looked beside the bed.

"Hello! Did you have a good sleep?" Mieko greeted her.

"Yes. About what time is it?"

"Mid-morning." Mieko smiled, and as Sahara smiled back, Mieko frowned, and looked quickly away. Sahara followed his gaze to the door. Mieko stood up, "Stay here, Sahara," He walked outside. Sahara quickly got out of the mat on the floor, and got dressed. By this time, she could hear voices outside. She peeked out through the door, and saw a great demon talking to Mieko. This was normal, as Mieko worked as a weapon maker for demons. Sahara turned around, and started fixing up a fire to make herself some breakfast. Once the fire started burning, Sahara looked back out the door. Apparently, they couldn't agree on whatever they were talking about.

"Sahara, will you please come here?" Mieko called. Sahara stepped outside into the sunshine. She walked aver to where Mieko and the demon were.

"What is it? And who is this demon, Mieko?"

"This is Yukio. Yukio, this is Sahara." Sahara looked at Yukio. He was in the form of a human, with short black hair, and wore the clothes of a wealthy man. Yukio looked back at Sahara. She stepped back slightly, for what Yukio had in his eyes, was cruelty, and lust. A deadly combination.

"What was it that you wanted, Mieko?" Sahara said quickly. She felt uncomfortable under the constant stare of Yukio.

"Oh, yes... Could you get me the latest sword I have made?"

"Alright, I'll be right back." Sahara ran back to the little hut, found the sword, and walked back outside. Mieko was walking towards her to get the sword, when three things happened at once. Yukio drew a dagger and threw it at Mieko's back, Mieko fell down with a small grunt, and Sahara screamed. She ran up to Mieko and cradled his head in her arms.

"... Sahara... I... Love you..." was the last thing Mieko said. Sahara, blinded by tears, anger, and loss, laid Mieko's head on the ground, and shut his lifeless eyes. She slowly stood up, and looked towards Yukio.

"I'll be taking my sword now, wench!" He spat. Yukio pointed his head towards the sword, which was lying on the ground not far from where Sahara was standing. Sahara went over to it, picked it up, and walked over to Yukio. "Thats a good little -" Sahara had seperated the sword from the sheath, and had stabbed Yukio through the stomach. Yukio never finished his sentence.

* * *

Sahara, alarmed, took a step back from Mieko after remembering how he died. He looked at her calmly, "Don't worry. I'm still here."

"Its not that... I just remembered how you died..."

"How long has it been?"

"About a month." Sahara looked down.

"That long, huh?" Sahara just nodded. "I meant what I said." Sahara looked into Mieko's eyes, as he stared back. They both leaned in to kiss...

* * *

"Looks like shes coming to..."

"Ugh." Sahara slowly opened her eyes, and was greeted by the eyes of Kaede, Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo, Sango, and Miroku, as well as the night sky. Suddenly, she remembered how she got into this situation, and tried to jump up.

"Now, now child... Lay down. Ye had a great fall, and shouldn't be moving at all." Kaede said.

"What are you going to do to me?" Sahara struggled, but managed, to say. 'Great... In the hands of the Enemy...'

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Yay! A long chapter! glances at clock WOW! It took me 2 hours to type this! I hope you all liked it!

Lady Quinn


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